Apologize
by vamphony
Summary: Dedicated to Salvatoreboys4ever for her birthday!: Five years after leaving and breaking herself, Elena returns to Mystic Falls for her family's annual ball only to come face-to-face with the same man that shattered her heart completely...


_This little story is for my magnificent, warm hearted, sweetest angel of a friend Bonnie. :) When we first started to talk through_ _ff_ _and pm, I was so ecstatic. When I first made a fanfic account and started writing on here, I never really thought about the friends I could possibly make. I just wanted to write. But, when we began talking (I forgot what exactly made us start talking. Either you reviewed UDDTP and I replied or I reviewed TPW and you replied, lol. Damnit. I forgot.) I was not only happy that I was making a friend but I was happy that I found someone I related too. I can't put into words how much I loved the fact that I met such a kind person but how much you, Carol and a few others made me rush to check to see if I got a message from any one of you all. I loved talking and meeting new people so to say that I was happy to be talking with you all would be an_ _understatement._ _I also adore the fact that even when we disagree (which isn't often) that we can still not only respect, love and continue_ _talking_ _as if we didn't at all._

 _Of course, different people have different opinions but what mattered a lot to me is that you didn't spaz out on me when I not disagreed and got extremely upset over a particular situation because so many people have done that even over the smallest things. I couldn't even tell you how much I was scared and nervous that I hurt your feelings but may have just ended our friendship because I couldn't keep my mouth closed (I don't need to say what over. That's between us.) Ask Carol. I immediately_ _pmed_ _Carol crying my eyes out because of what I said and spent the next few hours in fear of what you would say back. But, you surprised me. You didn't cuss me out (believe me it's happened) get angry or even be sad because of what I said. We talked about it like adults (another thing I love. We can talk like grown people do.) and came to the conclusion that even though we had different opinions on a certain topic, nothing had changed. We still continued talking like nothing happened and moved on like friends and adults do. That only pushed the notion further in my head that I had actually found someone (and very FEW others) that I could by myself with, relate to but also that we could talk through things like I had never been able to do before. Usually when I disagreed with someone, it ended it a physical fight, we weren't friends anymore or an argument._

 _But, moving on, I could go on for hours about you. I could make an entire page about you and why I adore you and talking with you. But, I won't hold onto you much longer (at least with this note because you haven't gotten to the actual story yet) and I know your most likely going to have fun with family and go out with them but I wanted to say these thing in hopes that it would brighten your day even more and I really wanted to do this for you. The moment Carol mentioned your birthday, I immediately got on this and was so excited to write this for you and your birthday. Anyways though, in conclusion (ugh, I feel like I'm giving a paper on the way I'm speaking and the words I'm using, lol. "In conclusion"? LOL) you are a great friend, an amazing person, a beautiful mother and a caring wife. You deserve for your birthday to the best day of your life (LOL, that seems weird to say. Best day of your life and this is the day you were born on. I'm so_ _stupid :P) and I hope it is. Enjoy today and I wish the best. That's all I can really do. But, I can say, if I was there, your birthday would be that much more memorable (sorry, I got cocky there. Damon moment.) I love you my dear friend. Have the best birthday._

 _And, I know I could have saved this for the end when you were done reading but oh well and it's not like it was a secret. Your name is literally in the summary after all,_ _lol. And sorry this was posted late. I fell asleep (of course) but better late than never right?_

* * *

 **Summary;** _**Five years after leaving and breaking herself, Elena returns to Mystic Falls for her family's annual ball only to come face-to-face with the same man that shattered her heart completely.**_

 **Title;** _**Apologize**_

* * *

 _I'm holding on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground._

 _And, I'm hearing what you say, but I_ _just can't make a sound._

 _You tell me that you need me then you go and cut me down, but wait._

 _You tell me that you're sorry, didn't think I'd turn around, and say it's too late to apologize._

 _It's too late..._

 _"Apologize" by_ _Timbaland_ _ft. OneRepublic._

* * *

The nervous brunette blew out a steady breath, trying to calm her racing heart thumping wildly in her chest. She clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into the palm of her hand, but she barely noticed. It wasn't until she felt her teeth press down on her bottom lip and pain to course through the skin that she was aware that she now stood on the doorstep of the mansion, reality sinking back in.

Her family's annual ball was taking place just on the other side of the doors.

She could hear people murmuring on the other side, their words coming out as muffled whispers from the door separating her from her family inside.

She never thought she would be back here so soon.

Five years still wasn't enough to close the hole in her heart... or even soothe it.

The heartbreak often felt like a grief that came in waves, grueling, stealing appetite and sleep alike. It was a glass shard in her guts that never leaves, though perhaps it needed more time before the edges will ever dull.

Or, she hoped.

Because it had proven it won't be leaving anytime soon.

In quiet moments it chokes the breath from her body and short circuits her mind until a simple action seemed like the hardest step to take. She guessed it felt like the same bereavement that coincided with death.

It sure felt as though.

Where once was peace is emptiness, an echo of a love she put her everything into.

What was once whole is shattered; _her heart._

Maybe this would turn out to be too much. Maybe she couldn't stand to be here _after_ all.

It was already beginning to be too much. The memories were too overwhelming, even after all this time.

The one person she hoped to avoid tonight appeared once again in her memory, the dull ache inside returning just when she thought it numbed and grew silent.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. Or, _loving_ him for that matter. Her pleas to erase every touch, whispered promise and sensual kiss he had laid on her failed in return, pulling her deeper into oblivion.

Because he didn't deserve her love and all the nights she had spent crying painful tears before bed. He betrayed her affections and left her a shattered disarray of pieces.

He stole every bit of her heart, body and soul and it was impossible to get it back.

And yet, she always found that she wanted to be right by his side again.

After every relived painful memory of what she witnessed that night and the melancholy mood it placed upon her, she still loved him.

To this day, she couldn't let him go... and a part of her had never wanted too.

 _"Elena! Wait! I promise, that wasn't what it looked like! Listen to me!" Damon yelled from behind her, the scatter_ _of his shoes against the concrete irritating_ _her further._

 _She ignored his desperate pleas and continued walking away from the house as the loud music started to fade with every step she took._

 _When the tears weren't even half way done Elena was empty. She couldn't have cried even if she wanted to. She hadn't experienced this feeling before, never in her life._

 _The aching sadness was still there, but not raw anymore – now it was an empty unhappiness - the kind she didn't think would easily lift, even with time. What her eyes had witnessed caused her entire world to crumble. Her perfect envision of love and Damon was shattered beyond repair._

 _He betrayed her._

 _And, she couldn't forgive that._

 _She continued walking, despite Damon's broken voice calling out to her. If she stopped or listened to what he had to say, she would take him back without hesitation and bend her morals for him. But, she refused to. ._

 _She deserved better than what he was giving._

 _"No, Damon. We've over." she spat without sparing him a glance._

 _She knew she would break down if she took a look back at his pain stricken_ _face so she had to keep her guard up. For her._

 _Her feet continued to carry her until she ended up on the back road to her house and was vaguely aware that Damon was still following her. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his attempt to stay quiet and follow her until she was cornered so he could speak. It was in typical Damon fashion._

 _It was all about what he wanted to say and not about how what he was doing was wrong. He wouldn't be able to sweet talk his way out of this one._

 _She wouldn't let him._

 _"No, come here." he slightly demanded, question bouncing around in his tone as if he was fearful she would continue walking away and say no. He couldn't let her. She was the love of his life. He needed her._

 _"No, Damon. Fuck off." she replied, trying to keep her tears at bay once more._

 _Just when she thought it couldn't get worse, she had to go and tear up_ _in front of him._

 _Damon didn't respond. Instead, started to speed up in front of her. He stopped and reached, grabbing her arms to make her listen with a firm grip. She wouldn't stop until she had cooled off and who knows how long that would be or the damage it would cause._

 _Elena hissed his touch and tried to pull away and screamed in frustration when he held her tighter, pulling her body closer to his own._

 _"Let me go!" she screamed into the silent, warm air of the night._

 _He shushed her in disbelief that she would scream like that in the middle of nowhere, especially_ _this late._ _Any one that could hear would think she was getting murdered or worse._

 _"What is wrong with you? Don't scream like that." he whispered, chastising_ _her with wide eyes._

 _She ignored his request and starting slamming her balled up fists on his chest, silently demanding she be let go. She wouldn't be able to get out of his arms anytime soon. Not until_ _he let her._

 _But she doubted_ _that was about to happen with the way he was trying to save his ass and make excuses for his transgressions._

 _"Elena, I'm not going to hurt you." He said, hushing her thoughts that screamed he wouldn't let her go unless she listened to him. "You can't just run away like this, though. We need to talk about what happened and what you saw-"_

 _She forcibly yanked herself free_ _from his arms wobbling as she almost fell at the harsh movement. She steadied her body and took a deep breath, her anger boiling her blood._

 _She didn't care to listen to what he had to say. They were over the moment she walked into the woods and saw him with another girl._

 _"No, we don't. We're over, Damon. You made a decision, now you're face the consequences." Elena said as hot tears started to fall from her bloodshot eyes. "I won't be with someone that disrespects me like that. You were basically cheating on me. Do you not see how wrong that is? Do you not see why I feel the way I feel? Or, do you just not care?"_

 _Damon sighed, running a hand through his raven locks._

 _"You know I care. Don't do that, Elena. Don't say that I don't because you and I_ _both know it's a lie._ _You know that you are the most important thing in my life and I_ _lov-"_

 _Elena turned her head away when she saw headlights on the black concrete of the street, completely tuning_ _out of Damon's speech._

 _She smiled brightly in relief when she saw the car and Damon turned, clenching his_ _jaw when he spotted whose_ _car_ _it was._

 _Elena walked up to the car as the window started rolling down._

 _"Matt, would you take me home? Please?" Elena asked, laying her hands on the car, tears falling from her eyes._

 _The blonde headed boy looked at the brunette and Damon before looking back at Elena and nodding._

 _Elena opened the truck door and was about to step in when Damon's hand caught hers, causing her head to whip around to him. He opened his mouth to speak but didn't get the chance before Elena cut him off._

 _"No, Damon. Don't. I told you we were done. Now let go of me." she demanded, clenching her jaw._

 _When the raven-haired boy didn't let up, she continued._

 _"Let go of me or I am going to call the cops on you. Let. Me. Go."_

 _His grip loosened and fell to the side of him. She icily glared at him, a sliver of heartbreak still flying around in her hazel orbs, before turning her head back to Matt, any trace of sadness vanishing._

 _As the car sped off down the hill, disappearing_ _into the night, he realized his heart and spirit had been irreversibly_ _shattered beyond repair._

Elena blinked out of the memory, sighing.

 _She could do this._

Her thin, olive tanned fingers gripped the doorknob as a wave of nervous heat swam through her blood. She kept reminding herself that she can do this, she _will_ do this. She couldn't run and avoid her family forever just because she didn't want to see _him._

The door silently opened and she took a breath when bright, yellow lights appeared in her vision.

Her feet gradually started to step across the barrier of the doorway and inside, not making it all the way in before she heard her name.

Her head snapped up at the sound and she mentally prepared herself when she watched as her mother made her way over to her.

"I didn't realize the successful and very busy _author_ would actually have time to visit her family tonight. What a sight this is. It will probably never happen again." Miranda hummed a loud, showing her obvious distaste at her daughter's distance from the family.

Elena sighed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Mom, please. Not right now. What's important is that I made it, even if I haven't in a long time. I just want to see you, Jeremy, dad and enjoy my time here before I have to go back home tomorrow in New York with Caroline and Bonnie. I'm just about done with my next book and I want to finish it soon. I only came because Jeremy begged me too."

"But when your mother asks, it's a no?" Miranda scoffed, pursing her lips.

"No, that's not why mom. I wanted to come anyways so when Jeremy asked, it just made the decision easier." Elena explained, hoping her mother wouldn't push the subject any more. It was beating a dead horse. Fighting would only cause more of a drift in the family and make her want to stay away further.

And she definitely didn't want to explain why she hadn't come back to Mystic Falls in years. She just needed to get out. Staying here was suffocating.

Besides, the _I'm-busy_ lie would only work so many times before her family got fed up and demanded to know where she lied so they could visit. She was shocked that they hadn't asked before. It wasn't them she was running from. Nor the reason she had stayed away from the town and only talked with the Gilbert's over a mere phone call.

"Okay." Miranda sighed, giving in. It was obvious she didn't want to argue with her daughter, especially when the brunette had finally came back home even if it was for the night. "I know your father and brother want to speak with you. They will love to hear that you came. I'll be right back."

As Miranda disappeared past the crowd of people gathering in the Gilbert mansion, Elena leaned against the wall, taking in the sight around her.

The music ascended together in a slow, magical flight to the heavens, a breathtaking melody of orchestral exuberance. The sound flowed in her ears, bouncing around in her head, memories of dancing to the delicious tempo as a child filling her mind once again. A half-grin formed on her lips, a bittersweet childhood playing back in her brain.

The chandelier had been hung in pride of place in the grandiose hallway many years ago before even the mortar between the bricks had fully dried. It alone was worth more than the combined annual incomes of all the staff working hours upon hours. It dripped with the best cut diamonds and was made from white gold.

She used to be fascinated with it and stare up into the light while she danced but now, it was about as tasteful as neon overcoat but thankfully not so bright.

The couples moved in perfect sync, each staring at one another with bright eyes and goofy smiles as their hands intertwined in a silent dance.

She turned away from the sight. It physically hurt to watch and all too soon, jealousy crept up just to remind her that she was once again unaccompanied and dejected by the person she had loved most.

"Elena?" A voice asked, walking up to her. She promptly looked up from the ground and took a breath hoping to take away the sorrow from her facial features.

She plastered a smile on her lips at the sight of her father and brother side-by-side, a beaming grin on their faces, a twinkle of happiness in their eyes.

"Hey, dad."

Elena turned to her younger brother, biting down on her lip nervously.

"Hey, Jer." she greeted, trying her best not to tear up in front of her family.

After years of her absence, she never thought it would be such a relief to return home. A somber weight lifted from her heavy heart at the emotions swirling inside with every beat.

Her father must have sensed this and the way she tried to calm her limbs that started to faintly shake so he placed his hand on her arm as a soundless comfort.

"Hey, baby." Grayson replied with soft eyes.

He wordlessly stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Elena and embraced her with teary eyes as Jeremy and Miranda watched lighthearted.

Her hands slid around to Grayson's back as he hugged her tight to his body, misery and happiness all rolling into one and she gradually felt like she could breathe once more.

"Welcome home."

* * *

Minutes later, she stood by the table filled with champagne and food laid out for guests. Soft chatter and whispered murmurs echoed lightly in the ballroom as people started eating and relaxed after dancing.

Elena picked up one of the glasses and brought it to her lips, smiling when she felt the sweet tang hit her taste buds.

She watched as her parents talked a few feet in front of her, giggling to each other and occasionally kissing with huge grins on their faces, trying and failing to keep the jealousy from spreading in her heart. Of course, she was happy that they've had such a happy marriage for so long even before her and Jeremy were born but was it too much to ask if she could have that?

She figured it was and put down the empty glass on the table as her shoulders sagged.

In good moods as a writer, she may paint words that are fine wine and soft music; words that contain more healing medicine than all the drugs created by man. She could endlessly write about a love that could overcome and thrive in the darkness. But, her reality was all the more sorrow filled. All the novels and poems she could write about happiness and romance could never fix the aching with every beat in her chest as much as she hoped.

The sigh that escaped Elena's dry lips was slow, as if her brain needed that time to process the realization she was surprised she hadn't come to terms with before.

Maybe she just wasn't meant to be happy.

Her blunt teeth bit down on her bottom lip, trying her damndest not to cry, and turned back around debating whether or not she should leave early when her eyes landed on a familiar figure standing in the doorway of the mansion.

A shiver ran through her body, one she quickly placed as a cold chill.

A shortage of breath was the first sign.

The black and white suit was the second.

Raven hair was the third.

Crystal baby blue eyes was the fourth.

She knew _exactly_ who it was.

She bit down on her lip. Hard.

He wore a loose black silk shirt, a white tie with leather cuffs and black trousers. She couldn't say she was surprised though. It was his style. He liked to be different. He hated normal. However, he got better the more she continued to look.

She still remembered every inch of him of his tantalizing body.

He's got that dark Adonis look going on, which made her weak at the knees. He was still a fair few inches taller than her, which she liked. He's slim, muscular, with an almost perfectly symmetrical face. Everyone loved him and she didn't doubt they still did. They were drawn to him. She could see it in the way men and women hung onto his every word and reciprocate his smile so quickly. They want to be close to him just like she did... _does. I_ f he wanted to he could have more friends than hours in the day, but for the most part he just wanted her and for that she had truly felt honored. He could have had almost anyone, he could have had someone with a bigger bust, a smaller waist, blonde hair and more self-confidence. He still chose her. She thought they belonged together until that faithful night.

And just like that, all the pain _stopped._

His expensive cologne she adored engulfed the air and with it her brain flooded with pictures of him. His face just as handsome as the first day she saw him, his eyes twinkling with laughter and his teeth glistening brightly as he smiled. She remembered his eyes sparkled like storm clouds right before lightning hit. Clouds of grey and blue threatened floods and fury while pupils dilated in passion, eyelashes catching the raindrops.

So much time had passed since then.

She had lost the sound of his voice and the touch of his skin. Her chest ached as she thought of what she had lost. No one had ever replaced him, and no one ever would.

She still cared far too much.

Elena turned her gaze away and took a deep breath only able to take a step before she heard a smooth, broken voice behind her that could only belong to one person.

"Elena..."

She fled.

* * *

She bolted down the garden path like an Olympic champion at the start gun, her sweaty palm clutching the bottom of her red, silk dress to run faster.

She couldn't stop. She needed to get as far away as fast as possible.

This was too much. She _knew_ this would happen. She wanted to see her family, not _him._ She abandoned her home _because_ of him. He couldn't come back in and wreck it all now.

She wouldn't let him.

Her feet slowed by the pond down the hill and she leaned against the tree standing in front of it to catch her breath.

Her tongue ran across her lips, wetting them from the countless amounts of oxygen she breathed in, dying them, as her heartrate slowly began to pace itself once more.

Just when she thought she had escaped her past, it proved her wrong again.

"Elena."

Her head whipped around at the sound of a familiar voice, jumping back a few inches from the noise.

A gasp escaped her lips and her eyes widened in fear when she saw Damon standing inches away from her.

" _Damon._ "

As his name rolled off her lips, Damon stepped closer as his eyes searched over her irritated expression.

"Get away from me." she demanded in a warning, taking another step back.

Damon silently reached his arm out and grabbed her hand, lightly pulling her to him.

Elena immediately took her hand out of his, trying her best to ignore the warmth and sparks of electricity that ran through her body at his touch, making sure she kept the angry look on her face.

"Elena, just please... let me speak. I know you want nothing to do with me but you need to hear what I have to say." Damon pleaded, desperation clear as day in his voice. He completely pulled his self away from the brunette, holding his hands up in a form of surrender, telling her he meant no harm. He just wanted to talk.

He need to say it.

And, she needed to hear it. She _deserved_ it.

"No, Damon. I don't _need_ to hear anything you have to say. Your words mean _nothing_ to me. The moment I walked in and saw what I saw, you were dead to me from then on..." Elena spat back, crossing her arms. "And, you still are."

Damon nodded, taking a breath. His eyes shifted to the side and around the pond behind her to keep the glassy layer of tear from surfacing in his eyes. He didn't want to admit how much those words hurt.

"Okay." he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You don't owe me anything. But, this isn't for me. It's for you. _You_ deserve to hear what happened that night and what transpired before you saw what you did. Just... _please_ let me tell you."

Elena sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. She licked her lips before nodding silently, not able to trust her voice much longer.

She didn't know how long she could keep her emotions in check. Every part of her body was tingling with bittersweet memories and begged her to take him back in an instant. But, she couldn't ignore what happened that night and what it did to her as much she wanted to forgot it all.

"Okay, Damon." Elena agreed, making sure she kept irritation in her voice to hide the sparks of electricity running through her body at seeing him again. "You have _five_ minutes. No more, no less."

"That's all I need." he said, running a hand through his hair. "Where do you want me to start?"

"The start of the party. I want to know everything that happened leading up to when I walked in the room."

Damon nodded, taking a breath. "It started off normal. Me and you had just got to the party and we started having drinks to let loose. We were on the dance floor when I stopped and said I had to go the restroom and that I would be right back. I ended up getting lost trying to find the bathroom because we had never been to a Lockwood party and I stumbled into an office. That was when a drunk Andie walked in..."

 _The harsh scent of alcohol_ _can be smelt all over his body. He was struggling to remember where he was going before falling over into this office and as he stood he was barely_ _able_ _to balance his weight._ _It's like some sort of outer body experience. His_ _legs don't work as he_ _tells them._

 _Somewhere, deep inside he_ _knows_ _his_ _brain is sending signals telling him_ _what to do. Whether or not his_ _body is listening is a different story. He tries to walk to the door_ _but his_ _legs are telling him_ _otherwise._ _They are swaying – left and right. No matter how many steps he_ _takes, he's_ _no closer to where he_ _wants_ _to be._

 _Then, the door creaks open further._

 _A head of brown and blonde hair comes into view and his first thought was; Andie._

 _"Hey, Damon." she slurred, taking a step into the room._

 _"Hey, Andie." Damon replied, shaking his head to clear his blurry vision._

 _The brunette wordlessly walked_ _further_ _into the room, her hips swaying with seduction and with every movement from the woman, Damon grew wary at her next move._

 _Somewhere_ _in the back of his mind he knew_ _Andie_ _had always had a crush on_ _him the_ _day she started working for his family._

 _But, he_ _had_ _been too preoccupied with another girl that had always held his heart from the moment they met as children._

 _Before Damon could voice his suspicions, Andie had smashed their lips together in a brutal kiss._

 _The next moments happened so quickly, he couldn't comprehend his_ _surroundings._

 _One sound was all that mattered though._

 _A gasp._

 _He immediately pulled his lips away from Andie's and looked to the shadowy figure in the doorway with an open mouth._

 _Elena._

 _There she stood teary eyed with_ _a hand over her mouth, her expression reading nothing but... broken._

 _"Elen-"_

 _Damon wasn't able to finish his sentence before Elena turned and started running away from the scene._

 _Fear bubbled from within_ _his body, ready to burst out at the thought of losing her._

 _He jumped up to his feet and away from_ _Andie, his body suddenly sober and ran after Elena._

"I regret everything about that night. I always think of 'what ifs' or different choices I could have made. I could have not taken a drink or we could have stayed home and watched movies all night instead of going to a disastrous party that ended our relationship-"

Elena held up a hand mid-sentence, stopping Damon dead in his tracks.

She took a breath before nervously tucking her hair behind her ears and looking up at him, every part of the façade torn away from her beautiful face... a vulnerability laid bare in her eyes.

"Damon, don't think like that. Even if we hadn't gone that night, anything else could have happened to make us break up. Anything..." She shook her head, pursing her lips. "I just didn't think Andie would have gone to those lengths to try and have a shot with you. Out of all the times we had spoken, she said she respected both of us and wished us the best so to see my boyfriend kissing a woman that said she didn't want anything but happiness for us, broke me in so many ways. I know me and Andie werent best friends or anything but we spoke a lot, especially when I went to see you and Stefan at the company... I don't know if those had been lies or if it was just the liquor."

She went silent as Damon ran a hand through his hair, licking his lips.

"She actually apologized for that later. It was a little while after you left and she approached me, begging me for a moment to talk about what happened because I was avoiding her. I thought she was only going to convince me that I should try something with her but she made it very clear she only wanted to apologize. She said she had a crush on me for a while, back to when she started working for my mom and dad but she had never intended on acting on them. She said the moment she knew we were together, she decided then and there you were off limits, not only because she respected you and our relationship but because she said she wouldn't want someone to ruin hers in that way."

Elena nodded, taking in the information and was happy that it wasn't just her kindness being taken for weakness or she had thought too much of someone.

The couple soon got silent, the air uncomfortable.

Neither knew what to say, too afraid of the chain reaction that would come with there words.

They had to be careful.

The cards that held up the remains of their ended relationship were too fragile.

But soon enough, Elena spoke up.

"I just have one question."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows at her and tilted his head. "What's that?" he asked, his interest peaked.

Elena took a step closer, her hands by her side, fingers clutching nervously at the fabric of her dress.

She looked up at him through dark lashes, biting down on her bottom lip.

Her emotions were not easily hidden on her innocent face. Her pain was evident in the crease of her lovely brow and the down-curve of her full lips, only increasing the depth of his guilt.

As he looked into her eyes he knew, all the beauty of the universe could not even hope to compete with this simple feeling.

 _Passion._

It turned her hazel eyes into orbs of the brightest fire, and in them he read clearly that she would fight to the very last tear for her love.

The thought sent a fleeting memory through his mind.

He could remember the day they went to the park. He remembered the girl had been a snapshot out of time. He can see her chestnut hair blowing in the spring breeze, her youthful face turned toward the sun.

Though her feet are scarred she still dances, dances like the joy of life within her cannot be tamed. In that red floral shirt and jeans she could be anyone, no-one to the universe. But to him she is the world itself and without her he cannot enjoy a simple flower or the rising sun. There is nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe from harm, but he cannot protect her forever. He can only be there when she falls and stand well back while she reaches for the stars.

And, from this day forward he made a silent promise to do that for her. No matter what.

"Are you dating anyone?"

"No."

She nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Good. Because that makes this so much easier."

Before he could respond, Elena's lips had passionately locked on his.

For that single moment time stops. They held it for a few seconds, before their lips began to move in perfect sync, slowly, cautiously.

He held her gently, cupping her face with one hand.

The heat seemed to travel through her veins, causing her body to flush with heat. He tilted her head to the side and kissed her harder, his lips demanding. Elena felt a smoldering heat deep within her as Damon's grip tightened, crushing her body to his, gentle yet firm.

His usual mode of hurrying from one thing to the next was suspended, he had no wish for the it to end.

Elena exhaled through her nose, not wanting to let go. She was against his warm chest, chiseled to perfection. Her entire body had been taken over by the overwhelming feeling of relief, combined with eccentric panic, and lust.

Drunk on endorphins his only desire was to touch her, to move his hands under her smooth summer layers and feel her perfect softness once again. In moments the soft caress has become firmer, he savored her lips and the quickening of her breath that matched his own. A kiss like this was a beginning, a promise of much more to come.

They pulled away, their breaths mingled.

Her heart fluttered inside her chest, her eyes still closed as Damon's warm breath lingered on her olive skin.

"I love you." Elena whispered, a bright smile on her face. "I missed you so much."

"I love you too. You have no idea how much I missed you. It was hell without you-"

Elena placed a finger over Damon's lips, silencing him.

"Don't. We can talk about that later. Right now, it's about us."

The raven-haired man nodded, smiling.

"It's about us."

The couple's hands began to slowly intertwine, the pain and heartbreak beginning to fade away as they started walking back to the direction of the house.

"I want to know something."

"What's that?" Damon asked softly.

"Did you know I would be here? I mean, even my own parents didn't know I would be coming. It was last minute. Was it pure coincidence? Or, have you been coming since I've been gone?"

Damon shook his head, smirking.

"Nope, I had no idea and neither did they. They called me and said even though I haven't been coming because it was too hard to be here without you, that there was a small chance you could be coming tonight so I made sure to be here. This was all them."

Elena's mouth dropped opening shock and her eyebrows raised up.

"Really?"

"Really." Damon replied, nodding his head.

 _Maybe she hadn't given them enough credit after all._

"I'll be sure to thank them for this when we walk back in." He commented to himself, though Elena could hear every word.

He watched her shake her head at his words from the corner of his eye and he turned his gaze back to her, confused.

"We wouldn't have needed them, Damon, as much as I love them for doing this. We would have found our way back to each other, even if it took a little more time." Elena said, smiling at him, her eyes twinkling as he smirked, knowing exactly the next words to come from her mouth.

"We always survive."

* * *

 _Sorry_ _Andie... I like you but I liked Rose too much to play the_ _villain_ _so I_ _chose you. :_ _(_

 _As_ _much as I felt like the people on fanfic didn't deserve my writing and I'm still very undecided whether or not I will even return, I wanted to make Bonnie smile and do something nice for her for her birthday even though we can't physically do anything together._

 _I hope you enjoyed Bonnie! Happy Birthday... again._ _Love you!_ _And, if you think that my message for my friend was too long, fuck off because I wanted to say those things and make her smile for her birthday since I couldn't be with her._

 _ _And BTW, I don't want to hear any bull in the reviews saying they hoped I continued writing and that I came back and blah blah blah because I don't want to hear it. It would be fake so don't act like you really care if I kept writing and today is about Bonnie and this one shot is for her. The only reason this was even written/posted is for her birthday.__ _ _I don't really care if I sound mean because I'm sick of no one caring about my feelings or someone actually giving a damn about me so I no longer care about yours.__ _So, thank you, have a nice day and keep it pushing._


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